Observations on the Book of Life
The Book of Life presents the contemporary student of scripture with a problem. To first see this problem, we have to investigate resurrection. According to 1st Corinthians 15:22-26 the resurrection of the body of man follows a strict sequence. The sequence is; (i) Christ first, then (ii) “those who are His at His coming”, and finally an “end” where death is defeated by all men being resurrected (as verse 22 says, and seeing as all men proceed from Adam). Searching further into this matter brings to light a sold confirmation of this sequence.
You got the sequence wrong here..
At the second coming of Jesus the dead in Christ ( dead believers ) will rise first and then we who are alive and remain will be caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds..
1 Thessalonians 4: KJV
16 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: {17}
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. {18} Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
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Christ was resurrected in about 30 AD
[*]The Church will be resurrected “at His Coming” - His “Presence” in the clouds (1st Thess.4:14-17)
Agreed.. though i believe it was 30 AD
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Israel will be resurrected at His “Revealing” from the clouds (Danl12:2; Matt.24:31; Ezek.37)
Not sure that these references show conclusively that the resurrection of the genetic Israel happens at the first resurrection on the return of Jesus.. They could be pointing to either the resurrection of the elect Saints Matt 24:31 or be showing the final resurrection at the end of the 1000 years.
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Revelation 20 then informs us that 1,000 years go by and then “the rest of the dead” are resurrected.
Agreed..
The problem is this; There will be no Christians at the resurrection and judgment of “the rest of the dead” since they were ALL resurrected “at His coming” 1,000 years before. Why then is the Book of Life presented at this judgment of the “rest of the dead”?
You seem to be discounting the possibility of people living in the nations ( who survived the tribulation ) will not become accepted followers of Jesus during the 1000 years and will need to be resurrected and judged at the end of the 1000 years.. I think this comes down to the belief that during the destruction on the earth during the times of the LORDs return will see all humans flesh humans destroyed.. But the fact remains that their will be surviving living Christians on the day of the return of Jesus.. So the destruction on the earth during the days of the return of Jesus will not destroy all flesh..
If you read Zechariah 14.. The chapter reveals the Day of the LORD which is the day of the return of Jesus If you read through the chapter you will see the return of Jesus when He will destroy the army of the beast that will at the time being coming up against Jerusalem..His feet shall touch down on the mount of olives Verse 4 Later in the same chapter it reveals what will be happening in the 1000 year reign of Jesus..
Zechariah 14: KJV
16 "¶ And it shall come to pass, that
every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to
worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. {17} And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship
the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them
shall be no rain. {18} And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain;
there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will
smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. {19}
This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles."
These heathens who will be forced to come up each year to worship the King of Kings who is the LORD of Hosts during the 1000 years are not the beloved resurrected perfected Elect Saints.. They are normal flesh human beings.. This is why it says in the book of Revelation that when Jesus returns he will rule the nations with a Rod of Iron::
Revelation 19: KJV
11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. {12} His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. {13} And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called
The Word of God. {14} And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. {15} And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and
he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."
Also scriptures confirm again that not all flesh will be destroyed at the times of the return of Jesus..
Matthew 24: KJV
21 "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. {22} And
except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened."
The flesh being saved are the people of the nations that survive and remain.. They will serve and support the resurrected / raptures Saints ( for the elect's sake) for the 1000 years and they be ruled by Jesus with a Rod of Iron.. That is when the Jesus will fulfill the following declaration He made in the Book of Revelation::
Revelation 3: KJV
9 "
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."
When will this happen? After Jesus returns and is ruling these people with a Rod of Iron compelling them to come up to Jerusalem each year..
There is a modern saying; A good lawyer never asks a question he doesn't know the answer to. So I do admit having studied this subject, and I do have an already formed opinion. But I still propose, for discussion, the fact that;
- The Book of Life is a decider on WORKS
- The Book of Life does not have to do with HAVING eternal life (which is had by faith - Jn.3:14-16)
- Whether Christian, or Jew, or Gentile, SOME are in this Book from the beginning - and can be cast out, and SOME can be written in - based on WORKS
The Book of life is definitely about having eternal life.. The book of Revelation reveals again that the Book of Life will not be the only book opened and referenced on the day of judgement.. We read..
Revelation 20: KJV
12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and
the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books, according to their works."
So the other books apart from the Book of life are where the Works of the judged are recorded and if the person is not written in the LORDs book of Life they will be damned for their sins / works recorded in the other books.. But if their names are written in the Lambs book of Life they shall not face the possibility of being cast into the eternal lake of fire.. Their works will be judged but as to determine their eternal rewards as Jesus said Some shall be greater in the kingdom of heaven and some will be lesser in the kingdom of heaven::
Matthew 5: KJV
19 "
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."